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Gulf Coast Recovery - Bills, Legislation, Appropriations

November 08, 2007

WASHINGTON – United
States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today announced that congressional
negotiators have agreed to provide an additional $3 billion for Louisiana’s Road
Home program in a pending defense bill. Sen. Landrieu worked closely with
Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.V., Transportation, Housing
and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Patty Murray,
D-Wash., and other committee colleagues to secure the funds, which help close an
estimated $3 to 4.5 billion shortfall in the post-hurricane housing rebuilding
program.

“This support for
the Road Home is an encouraging reflection of Congress’ commitment to fully
funding Louisiana’s rebuilding from the 2005 hurricanes and levee failures,”
said Sen. Landrieu. “It is a shot in the arm for our recovery, and with the
holidays approaching, provides much-needed peace of mind to those fearing the
Road Home would be closed to them.

“A fundamental key
to the recovery of the Gulf Coast is ensuring Louisiana’s homeowners the
availability of resources they need to rebuild their homes and communities,”
Chairman Byrd said. “The Road Home program is an example of the many steps
Congress is taking to help the region through its long-term recovery. The people
of Louisiana have a strong champion in Senator Landrieu, and I remain committed
to working with her to restore the Gulf Coast.”

“The delivery of
these critical dollars means a renewed commitment to bringing people home and
bringing vitality back to the state Louisiana. We all know that housing is the
critical first step to the regrowth and renewal of any community,” said Sen.
Murray, a member of the Senate Democratic Leadership. “I am pleased to have
worked with Senator Landrieu on this critical issue - this victory would not
have been possible without her passion and commitment to the people of
Louisiana.”

The Fiscal Year
2008 Defense Appropriations Conference Report, a compromise between funding
bills passed by the Senate and House of Representatives earlier this year, now
returns to the floor to be passed in each chamber before going to the President
for his signature. However, congressional Republicans have indicated that they
may attempt to block the legislation on the floor.

“Senators Byrd and
Murray and the Senate Leadership have been essential partners in this effort,
standing with Louisiana and the hundreds of thousands of homeowners who need our
support,” Sen. Landrieu said. “I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle
to follow this example, and allow this vital measure to move forward by
rejecting the partisanship that has entangled past hurricane recovery
efforts.”

This funding will
help Louisiana fully implement the Road Home program by continuing to cover both
water and wind damage resulting from hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. While
Bush Administration officials have recently blamed the inclusion of wind-damaged
homes for the program’s shortfall, the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) originally approved coverage when the Road Home was first
developed. Without this coverage, thousands of Rita-affected homeowners would
be left out of the rebuilding program.

An additional $1.17
billion could be made available to the program by providing greater flexibility
for the state’s use of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds. Responding
to pressure from Sen. Landrieu and the media, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) has taken steps to make these funds available administratively.

The Senate Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in August passed the SMART RESPONSE
Act, introduced by Sen. Landrieu, which would specifically allow the $1.17
billion in HMGP funds to be used for the Road Home. That bill is pending floor
action.

“Today’s agreement
is a major step forward, but there is still much work left to do,” Sen. Landrieu
said. “I will continue to fight to ensure that every penny due Louisiana’s
recovery is made available, and not trapped behind partisan games or federal
bureaucracy.”

The Road Home
program was developed after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by Louisiana Governor
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) in
negotiations with the White House and Gulf Coast Recovery Coordinator Donald
Powell. It provides rebuilding grants of up to $150,000 per home and was funded
through $8.1 billion in federal Community Development Block Grants provided by
emergency supplemental appropriations bills.

“This money is
vital to giving our citizens the resources they need to rebuild,” Governor
Blanco said. “Now is not a time for partisanship. The people of Louisiana need
our Delegation in Washington to stand together and fight for their people. I
applaud Senator Landrieu's continued efforts, the Congressional Leadership has
committed to meeting our ongoing recovery needs and I ask that Congress join
this effort to deliver on this federal promise.”

Senator Landrieu
has given us another reason to be grateful this Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Norman
C. Francis, Chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. “We have been blessed
by the support we’ve received from the American people and their representatives
in Congress — and this announcement to ensure that all of our families can
rebuild their homes and their lives couldn’t have come at a better time or
season. On behalf of all Louisianians, we again offer our heartfelt
appreciation for having another reason to express our gratitude this
holiday.”

The
Republican-controlled Congress in 2005 and 2006 capped Louisiana's share of the
federal funding at 54 percent, despite having endured more than 70 percent of
the disaster's damage.

As of October 25, a
total of 185,895 applications to the Road Home had been recorded, with an
average of $67,358 having been disbursed to 66,314
homeowners.

Publisher

Margaret Saizan is a digital media producer, visual arts rep & vision strategist. Her mission is to inspire new vision through transformational media and communications.

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